House GOP mulling short-term debt-ceiling increase

posted at 9:21 am on October 14, 2013 by Ed Morrissey

Does this sound familiar? House Republican leadership are looking closely at the calendar, with the debt-ceiling limit about to hit on October 17th, just three days away, and Senate rules setting up a picket fence of delays for any solution to it to pass. While Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid tangle in the upper chamber, John Boehner is considering just how much he can attack to a debt-ceiling increase and still get Reid to put it to a vote:

House Republican leadership aides say if some compromise isn’t unveiled by Reid and McConnell on Monday, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and other top GOP lawmakers could move to pass their own six-week extension of borrowing authority on Tuesday. The GOP sources cautioned that no decision has been made to take such an action yet, although House leaders are preparing for that scenario.

“There will be a time fairly soon, I think, where the only option to get something done before the deadline is originating legislation in the House,” a senior Republican aide told POLITICO.

That doesn’t mean that the House version would be a simple increase, but it’s not likely to contain anything dramatic, either:

Yet, Boehner and his top lieutenants are cognizant that this legislation must be something Reid, McConnell and President Barack Obama could accept. That means Republicans won’t try to wholly defund Obamacare — the president’s signature legislative accomplishment — as part of this bill. On Friday, Obama rejected the House Republican proposal, shifting the focus on the budget talks to the Senate.

Attaching the so-called Vitter amendment to the debt-limit increase is one option, according to House GOP sources. That provision would end health-insurance subsidies for members of Congress, their aides and other federal government employees. Another option is delaying or repealing the medical device tax. Reid and Senate Democrats have opposed both proposals so far, but with the debt limit clock ticking, House Republicans may have more leverage now.

At this point, the medical-device tax would be difficult to undo, mainly because Democrats want a replacement for the revenue before repealing it. Not only would that be impossible to structure in three days, it would force Republicans to raise taxes somewhere else, which will be a non-starter in the House GOP caucus. The Vitter amendment would be the best ground for Republicans. It’s the high moral ground, for one thing, and it’s clean — it doesn’t complicate any revenue or tax streams. If all Republicans ask in a short-term debt-ceiling increase is to have Congress get the same treatment as everyone else does under ObamaCare, refusing it would be political suicide.

Here’s one of the worst kept secrets in Washington: The two men tasked with finding a solution to the government shutdown and the looming debt ceiling deadline over the next few days don’t like each other all that much.

The back and forth highlights a delicate dance between the leaders of the two parties in the Senate when it comes to their re-election bids. The tradition had long been that the Senate’s two leaders would not actively campaign against each other in their respective home states; that ended in 2004 to much fanfare, when Senate GOP Leader Bill Frist actively campaigned against Democratic leader Tom Daschle. (The Senate, like baseball, is governed by all sorts of unspoken rules that each side tends to define differently.)

What that incident means is that McConnell will always be suspicious of Reid’s motives any time they work together. (That is not to say Reid is culpable for directing an attack against McConnell, but rather that because the Kentucky senator thinks Reid has already crossed the line, he will see everything that happens through a political — and skeptical — lens.)

So basically, Congress is a kindergarten. Still, I’d predict that if the House can quickly pass a clean 6-8-week debt ceiling bill with nothing but the Vitter amendment, both Reid and McConnell would have no choice but to pass it, and fight over the next round with the extra time it affords.

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this sounds good to me. straightforward. we are out of time to talk about anything more complicated. i guess the imf is worried that if the us technically “defaults” every other country will follow suit but really default…oh the humanity….hindenburg style

Obama wants default. He wants to bring the world into crisis so he can blame it on the Republicans.

i don’t think so…the whole world would come down on him..he’s gotta go for the short term debt limit increase (forget opening the gov’t for the moment) and act like a big boy and work this out with his congress or any legacy he hoped to leave would definitely be in the toilet.

Since the Democrats are demanding removing the sequester, a laughable proposition if there ever was any, the GOP should respond with similar seriousness, and put in a lengthy list of demands in its own bill:

McConnell is up for re-election in 2014, a race that is expected to be close and is already contentious.

So if we don’t get something good out of the deal then maybe we can hope to get something good out of the ouster of McConnell. Removing a useless lifer from the ranks of Republican leadership wouldn’t be a terrible consolation prize.

So basically, Congress is a kindergarten. Still, I’d predict that if the House can quickly pass a clean 6-8-week debt ceiling bill with nothing but the Vitter amendment, both Reid and McConnell would have no choice but to pass it, and fight over the next round with the extra time it affords.

And have this debate all over again? No, let’s do this now.

The House GOP should just hold a press conference and tell the stupid lazy bastard in the White House that they’ve provided multiple offers about a way forward and are done talking anymore until the White House comes to the table.

Let the slimdown continue. Show the people how much government they don’t need in their lives.

Don’t raise the debt ceiling. Force the government to live within the current limits. There is plenty of money coming in to pay the bonds (i.e. no default) and Social Security so that any such actions would be intentional by the lazy stupid coward in the White House and his minions.

The House GOP is no longer particularly relevant since Bthey refuse to talk to the Dems and Boehner has proven again and again that he is utterly unreliable as a negotiator. Reid and McConnell — with Obama in the background will cut the deal and the House will pass it with a minority of Republicans behind it, ending the Tea Party’s significance as a political force.

The House GOP is no longer particularly relevant since Bthey refuse to talk to the Dems and Boehner has proven again and again that he is utterly unreliable as a negotiator. Reid and McConnell — with Obama in the background will cut the deal and the House will pass it with a minority of Republicans behind it, ending the Tea Party’s significance as a political force.urban elitist on October 14, 2013 at 9:57 AM

I thought the tea party was dead last year, so how does it have any “political significance” now?

All the MSM aree saying Cruz and the TP are the big losers here…….no it will be all the red state Dem Senators who have had to toe the party line and will have to explain their alliance with Obama/Reid/Pelosi in this come next fall.

To be clear, I don’t mean vote them all out of office. i mean we should march to DC and physically throw them ALL in the street.

CableDude on October 14, 2013 at 10:23 AM

I’ve got this trick knee which occasionally gives out under a heavy load, couldn’t we instead use a few of those Israeli D9 armored bulldozers and blow right through the Congressional buildings? Give them 5 minutes to clear out, line up a dozen machines, and then lower the blades.

Spread this around to counter the lies perpetuated by a crisis oriented media.

Meat Fighter on October 14, 2013 at 10:30 AM

I can’t tell you how many times this morning I’ve heard somebody in the media saying that no agreement on a debt ceiling by Thursday means the US will be in default. It isn’t even a true statement!

But what do you expect. Local radio is talking about the CNN coverage of the Million Vet March. One Confederate flag in the crowd somehow became multiple flags, impeach Obama signs were somehow “disturbing,” and one crackpots comments became the only clip CNN used last night. Your typical cover-up on behalf of Dems and their lazy stupid leader.

I’ve got this trick knee which occasionally gives out under a heavy load, couldn’t we instead use a few of those Israeli D9 armored bulldozers and blow right through the Congressional buildings? Give them 5 minutes to clear out, line up a dozen machines, and then lower the blades.

Bishop on October 14, 2013 at 10:37 AM

Really didn’t want to do any property damage. just wanted to clean the slate and start over. Kick these guys out and put in a group that can pass a budget and live within it. No lawyers allowed in government for at least 50 yrs. Put people in charge that know what its like to do things on a limited amount of money. Lean and mean. Not proposing an overthrow of the government, just a house cleaning from floor to ceiling.

Byron York’s article today is outstanding. We’d be in much better shape if Cruz had kept his mouth shut for just one week.

matthew8787 on October 14, 2013 at 10:43 AM

I’m not interested in what York says. He’s happy to carry water for the political class. His hatred of the Tea Party is why he got that special invite to the White House to talk to the lazy stupid coward.

So, let’s see if I’ve got this straight;
Conservative Republicans have tried to negotiate rational spending, relief from the egregiously foolish Obamacare law and a means by which we can continue to reduce spending towards better fiscal discipline. Their colleagues, the Establishment Republicans, notwithstanding the school yard ad hominems and lack of any real plan, have resisted. Because it’s “stupid” or something.

I frankly haven’t determined any rational point they are trying to make.

Other than they are scared and afraid to do their job or something.

Now that the lead Republican “negotiators” (quotes intentional, because I don’t think that word means what they believe it means) have basically abandoned all their initial demands, Democrats now smell blood in the water and are now saying all the sequesters cuts, which provided the only rational spending decreases since, well, forever, need to be reversed also.

People like Corker (R- Clueless), now that (1) the initial “negotiating” ( there’s that word again) positions have been abandoned incinerated with fire, because people like Corker and King joined the Democrats and launched continuous verbal bombs against their own party and (2) more demands (shocking!) have been added by Democrats, which make our situation worse, are…fresh out of ideas, other than to completely give up?

I’m a little confused why cowards such as these actually exist in our Congress?
Maybe you guys ought to do the job people sent you to Congress to do…instead of standing on the sidelines talking about other folks who are trying to make things happen and showing your mugs on TV?

We call such people cowards bereft of any sagacious ideas. Clearly that is the cloak you wear.

Just 34 percent of Arkansas voters approve of President Obama — and the same share approves of the job Mark Pryor is doing, according to a new poll. The survey, by Talk Business and Hendrix College, finds one especially interesting result: In Arkansas, Democrats are getting the blame for the government shutdown and the current budget crisis, the reverse of the result in the rest of the country. Forty percent of respondents said they blame President Obama and Democrats, while 35 percent blame congressional Republicans and 24 percent say they’re equally at fault. (Nationally, Republicans are getting more blame than Democrats for the shutdown, but only marginally.)

And Tom Cotton, the Arkansas congressman who’s challenging Democratic senator Mark Pryor next year, already has a tight race: 42 percent of voters said they support Pryor, while 41 percent favor Cotton. Forty-two percent of the vote is, needless to say, not a good place for an incumbent. Pryor’s campaign has tried to tie Cotton to Republican stubbornness and the current government shutdown; the congressman’s been cagey on whether he supports the effort. Sixty-two percent of Arkansas voters disapprove of the job President Obama’s doing and just 34 percent approve; 34 percent approve of Pryor and 48 percent disapprove.

no matter how much the GOP house offers
the Dem senate refuses and screams to its its liberal media that its the conservatives fault

want a good example of what no limit does, in Lousianna the govt debit welfare cards had a glich of a no limit. So the parasites had multiple shopping carts full of top end meats and electronics

and they KNEW the system had a problem but those greedy lazy skum parasites grabbed as much as they could
and when the store announced the system and its limits were back up
they walked away and left meats ect to spoil in the carts.

The House GOP is no longer particularly relevant since Bthey refuse to talk to the Dems and Boehner has proven again and again that he is utterly unreliable as a negotiator. Reid and McConnell — with Obama in the background will cut the deal and the House will pass it with a minority of Republicans behind it, ending the Tea Party’s significance as a political force.urban elitist on October 14, 2013 at

9:57 AM
I thought the tea party was dead last year, so how does it have any “political significance” now?

You people really need to make up your minds.

melle1228 on October 14, 2013 at 10:04 AM

Last year the American public at large demonstrated their disdain for the TP when it kept the Senate in Democratic hands and rejected the Tea Party’s Stepford Surrogate presidential candidate. After this fiasco, the Tea Party will lose influence within the Republican caucus as well, given their leading role in what is both a policy and a political disaster.

I’m not interested in what York says. He’s happy to carry water for the political class. His hatred of the Tea Party is why he got that special invite to the White House to talk to the lazy stupid coward.

Not hardly. Republicans caving and giving Obama everything withoit a fight is a policy and political disaster.

Cause frankly the republican party still hasn’t won me over yet….

Without tea party support the Democrats win no matter what. 4 million conservatives sat at home ladt election night.

Perhaps we should make it 8 million if any time the party fights it is perceived as a policy political disaster and therefore repubs should cave.

GOP party symbol remains the CAVE.

Varchild on October 14, 2013 at 11:44 AM

Picking a fight and losing makes you weaker the next time you want to pick a fight. You think anyone in the Senate cares what Ted Cruz has to say any more? That’s why this is suck a disaster for the tea party — their influence will be diminished as their fellow Republicans question their political judgment.

Mitt Romney was a Tea Party candidate for President? And yet conservatives refused to show up for him and he lost the election?

Sure… anything you say…

Just keep smoking whatever it is you are smoking… It appears to be real good stuff.

TheRightMan on October 14, 2013 at 11:48 AM

I know, right (as my daughter would say)? Romney ties himself in knots taking Tea Party positions, gives them free reign on the platform and, chameleon-like — changes his coloring so that to all but a handful of political obsessives (like you and me) his IS a Tea Party candidate, and yet the conservatives stay home (remind me how we know that it was conservatives, and not just the more generic “Republic voters” who stayed home).

I guess immigrant-bashing, Obamacare-hating, rich-guy tax-cutting doesn’t put you over the top.

You are losing it sweetie if you think Romney had anything to do with the tea party or their platform..

melle1228 on October 14, 2013 at 12:46 PM

He pandered as hard as he could the entire primary season, and ran on a platform that could have been dictated by the crowd at a Tea Party rally.

Remember — it’s not the nuanced differences you see as someone who pays close attention. It’s the vast swaths of agreement that are apparent to voters at large. Romney went as far to the right as he could to appease the TP and got whipped for all of his trouble. The Tea Party is an excellent brand within certain Republican precincts, but it has become poison everywhere else.